Preston North End dealt transfer blow by Bristol City after new Joe Williams update | OneFootball

Preston North End have been handed a major blow in their pursuit of Bristol City midfielder Joe Williams.

Earlier this month, the Bristol Post had credited the Lilywhites with interest in Williams, whose current deal at Ashton Gate expires this summer, while contract talks in BS3 remain ongoing.

Williams set to stay at the Robins

On Wednesday afternoon, the Bristol Post reported that Liam Manning's side are "growing in confidence" that Williams will remain at the Robins this summer amid links to the Lilywhites.

The Everton academy graduate joined the West Country outfit from Wigan Athletic back in 2020, for a fee the Bristol Post believe to have been £1.25 million, but he will seemingly not be making a return to the north west in the form of a previously touted move to Preston.

Williams struggled to have much of an impact at Ashton Gate during his first two seasons with the Robins, making just two appearances in all competitions during the 2020/21 season courtesy of injury, and the following campaign he made 22 appearances in the Championship, but just 13 starts as his fitness issues persisted.

However, over the last two seasons, the 27-year-old has progressed, as he made 38 appearances across all competitions during the 2022/23 season, a total which he bettered by making 45 appearances in all competitions during the 2023/24 campaign.

Furthermore, the 40 Championship appearances Williams made during the 2023/24 season is the most he has ever made during a single second tier campaign.

The Scouser is clearly well liked by Robins boss Manning, who he has regularly featured for since the 38-year-old's arrival from Oxford United back in November.

While this development is positive for the Ashton Gate side, who have been moving in the right direction since Manning's appointment, it is bad news for the Lilywhites, who were hopeful of securing a move for a talented midfielder.

Preston will have to look elsewhere for potential Alan Browne replacement

According to Alan Nixon's Patreon post, North End captain Alan Browne is wanted by both Coventry City, and newly relegated back to the Championship Sheffield United.

Fellow central midfielder Williams would have been an ideal replacement for the Ireland international, who has become a stalwart at Deepdale since joining from Cork City in 2014.

Browne's contract with the Lilywhites is set to expire this summer, as per the Lancashire Evening Post, so he could be set to leave on a free.

The 29-year-old has been a great servant to the Lancashire outfit so far, but perhaps he could be tempted to leave North End in favour of the Sky Blues or the Blades, who will both be keen to mount promotion pushes during the 2024/25 campaign.

But the Lilywhites do, of course, have their own play-off credentials and will look to build upon a 2023/24 season in which they finished ninth, and 10 points behind the top-six.

Following the news that the Robins appear likely to keep hold of Williams, the Lancashire outfit may be more keen than ever now to retain the services of Browne, as the Bristol City man would have been an adequate replacement.